Come to us with deep pockets and a penchant for huge SUVs and we’ll point you in the direction of the brilliant Audi Q7. But the reality is not everyone wants a five-metre-long behemoth that’s cumbersome to park and costs a small fortune to buy. So, what if you could have all of the Q7’s strengths in a cheaper and more compact package?

Well, that’s exactly what many will be hoping for from the Audi Q5. It’s much cheaper to buy than its bigger brother, costs suitably less to run and yet is still a very practical family car, despite its smaller footprint and lower driving position.

Read on over the next few pages and we’ll give you the full low-down on how the Q5 compares with its key rivals in the large SUV class, cars such as the BMW X3,Land Rover Discovery Sport and Mercedes GLC. We’ll also tell you which engines and trims make the most sense.

And if you are thinking a used Q5 might be a better bet, then click here to take a look at our review of the previous generation model.